Navigation

Chris Gollon: New Paintings from the Love series

IAP Fine Art is presenting Chris Gollon: New Paintings from the Love series at its new space in St James’s – until June 30, 2011.

This new exhibition of paintings by established British artist Chris Gollon looks at the ancient and timeless theme of Love.

Gollon has long been recognized as a very innovative painter of human relationships and interaction. His recent major public commissions have shown his original take on old themes.

In a major commission for the Church of England, he used his own son as the model for Jesus in the highly acclaimed series of Fourteen Stations of the Cross for the grade-one listed, Sir John Soane-designed Church of St John on Bethnal Green.

And in a major museum commission to paint the Henley Royal Regatta, he took the unusual decision to paint the anguish of the losing team in Gollon at Henley.

In this new exhibition, as Gollon engages with the theme of Love, he uses imagined figures juxtaposed with real ones, great colour juxtaposed with infinite matt blacks, and the dynamic use of printmakers’ rollers that bring movement and rhythm to the images.

Gollon depicts love between sisters as in Sisters of Mercy; love between friends (however different) in The Two Friends (II) and also Unconditional Love.

Gollon tackles unrequited love and also spiritual love in The Contemplation of the Magdalene where Mary Magdalene changes from courtesan to disciple, and there is also love fulfilled in Love (I) and Love (II) in the exhibition.

The exhibition also features a painting entitled Rembrandt’s Mother showing the love of a parent in Gollonesque fashion.